Police chief injured during Francestown standoff

FRANCESTOWN - A man who barricaded himself inside a Francestown home after assaulting a police chief has been taken into custody.

The incident unfolded around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday when state police were called to a disturbance involving a Francestown resident and a mail carrier on Old County Road N.

The initial report received by the Hillsborough County Dispatch at around 9:30 a.m. indicated that the resident, identified as Richard Vannostrand, 47, of Francestown, had been shouting at the mail carrier and attempting to damage the mail carrier's vehicle. Chief Frederick Douglas of the Francestown Police Department responded to the scene where Vannostrand refused to cooperate and physically assaulted the chief, causing him significant, but non-life-threatening injuries.

According to a statement from the AG's Office, Vannostrand then barricaded himself in his home drawing dwputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department and officers of the New Boston, Greenfield, Bennington, Hillsboro, Hancock, Peterborough, and Antrim police departments.

The response team then set a perimeter to contain the suspect and called for New Hampshire State Police SWAT and Crisis Negotiation Units.

At approximately 5:15 p.m., Vannostrand was taken into custody with the use of less-than-lethal force that resulted in minor injuries. Vannostrand was transported to a local hospital and is expected to be arraigned by video at 11 a.m. today in Goffstown District Court on numerous charges, including felony second degree assault and resisting arrest or detention.